SRINAGAR, Oct 6: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah did not celebrate Eid-ul Azha and instead donated blood at a government hospital as mark of solidarity with the flood-affected people of the state.

Omar Abdullah, who offered Eid Prayers at Hazratbal, rushed straight to SMHS Hospital in Karan Nagar area of the city to donate blood, an official spokesman said.

He asked people to donate blood at the donation camps and save precious lives.

Omar Abdullah said donation of blood on Eid is all the more important to seek munificence of the Almighty.

The Chief Minister then drove to airport from where he took off to Jammu to meet the victims of cross border firing that took place in Arnia sector, the spokesman said.

He said the CM is also scheduled to visit villages affected by the firing incident.

Abdullah, in his message on Eid-ul-Azha, appealed to the people to celebrate the holy occasion with simplicity keeping in mind the plight of sufferers of devastating floods which claimed precious human lives, inflicted unprecedented losses to economy and damaged public infrastructure, in the state.

He sought wholehearted support to flood survivors and prayed for the well-being of the people and the state.

"Let us dedicate this year's Eid-ul-Azha to the flood sufferers and extend all help to them for their rehabilitation and welfare," he said, adding that supporting the needy and sufferers of calamities is the essence of holy occasions like Eid.

NEW DELHI, Oct 6 (Agencies): Home Minister Rajnath Singh today took strong exception to the ceasefire violations by Pakistan and asked the neighbouring nation to realise ‘the changed ground realities in India’ and stop immediately recurrence of such action.
Talking to mediapersons on the sidelines of a function here, Singh reacted sharply to the incidents of firing by the Pakistan security personnel along the border/LoC in Jammu and Kashmir that had left five people dead and more than two doze